Alimamy Jaiah Kai-Kai, USA. Well, let’s face it. Before the Sierra Leone Presidential and general Election in 2007, I recall, Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma, now our president Ernest Koroma promised change, a positive attitudinal change that got the whole country singing the tune. The people fell for it, and voted for it or did they? The questionable result of that election still hovers around our village farm yards, schools, colleges, restaurants, streets, markets etc. For the average (...)

Scramble for and re-partitioning of Africa (The case of Sierra Leone between the two powers: China and USA). By Patrick Brima Kapuwa, Jilin University, Changchun City, China. Introduction: This article will attempt to critically scan through the dependence theory, and show how best the concept of asymmetry with Sierra Leone in between the skyrocketing interests from the world’s two leading powers (USA & China), is best applicable. It is no secret that Africa has long had (...)

By Maada Gumbu, Freetown. Since the pre-colonial era secret societies have played a dominant role in the politics of African societies including Sierra Leone , but over the decades they have become so powerful that they have gone to the extreme point of becoming dangerous. One of the reasons why they are dangerous is that they have so many taboos for non-initiates that are so uncertain, indescribable and unidentifiable that it is easy for a non-initiate to fall into the trap of a secret (...)

By Joseph S. Sherman, Washington, DC. Shakespeare’s play Macbeth shows the roots of all evil, our own human nature. The play is centered on the coexistence of good and evil. Macbeth, unlike any other Shakespeare play has the protagonist convert to evil. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is shown as a hero in the Scottish army; that is ironic because Macbeth defeats a traitor and he himself becomes one later. Valentine Strasser knows his place in the world. He is fully capable of (...)

By Abdul Karim Kabia (Fonti), Freetown. The Chief Electoral Commissioner of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Dr. Christiana Thorpe has been approved by the House of Parliament to serve a second term of five years as the head of NEC. During the debate in parliament, the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) stoutly objected the re-appointment of Dr. Thorpe and staged a protest walk-out when the House resolved to vote on the issue. Notwithstanding the fact that I (...)

The endless reports about child abuse cases in Sierra Leone makes me wonder if our country has signed up to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child(UNCRC). Of course a country like ours that is desperately seeking to improve our development index ranking among the committee of developing nations is expected to have appended its signature to this all important convention. Article 19 of the UNCRC makes the protection of children from all forms of mistreatments by it member (...)

By Unisa Kanu, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. News of “Ambassador” Alhaji Umaru Wurie’s official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was received with mouth-watering anticipation. In fact, it unreservedly became the subject of discussion in every corner of the Sierra Leone Community. Having notched a remarkably impressive term as an Ambassador to this Kingdom in the 90s, Alhaji Wurie is best remembered for laying the foundation stone of the Sierra Leone Nationals’ Union in (...)

I am not an expert on water resources, or environmental affairs for that matter. I am just concerned that an issue as vital as water is the backbone of a dispute in northern and northeastern Africa. It is about time qualified and proven experts and lobbyists pitch in to help resolve a very sensitive stalemate. I also believe it is a matter of concern for all of us everywhere. The River Nile is a historical landmark, over 6,000 kilometers (4, 000 miles) long. It runs across many countries, (...)

The unfolding drama characterising patriots leaving the borders of Sierra Leone will make Your Excellency sleepless, feeble, non-revolutionary and vulnerable to political ‘hawks’, economic vampires, and ‘social bacteria’. I, in no uncertain terms would have preferred more than half of the cabinet of Dr Ernest Koroma be locked up in a ‘hell’ prison than to allow the former Anti- Corruption Commissioner resign his position, if only His Excellency had known (...)

By Chrstian Foday Sesay, Texas. Sylvia Blyden, Editor of Awareness Times, has done it again! This time, fallaciously alleging that Abdul Tejan-Cole, Commissioner of ACC traveled to the Gambia with Bashiru Savage is not only laughable but mind boggling to know that someone who publicly claims to have been blessed with a very rich heritage could publicly stoop so low. What an Irony? How has the self-acclaimed fallen so low? It is sad. But what a shame! History teaches that history teaches (...)